Monday, 7 April 2014

Small Wonders

"Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn't know you left
open."-- I have a very weird habit of always search and read quotes about
almost everything there could be. I found this one same way.

Case 1

It was morning flight from Kolkata to Delhi. I usually have acute morning
sickness and thus am sick to death of morning flights. Only 2hours of sleep and
then the screeching sound of the alarm clock saying its 4 minutes past 4AM. This
less-sleeping-business usually brings in migraine pain, followed by nauseated
feeling all the time. I locked the door and stepped out of my flat
premises.Believe me, it was the murkiest morning I have ever seen. I was taking
brisk steps towards Gariahat More to get the cab. Waiting and looking for the
cab here and there my eyes caught a story lying on the footpath. A small
boy,may be 6-7years old covering her mother with a crummy saree ( saree used as
blanket).The babyish hand took out another one to make sure his mother is warm enough!!
The elder sister(not more than 8years) on the other hand is sitting near her
mother and putting "Jolpotti" (cold water soaked cloth) on the
forehead.

With the hard lump in my throat, I caught the cab, leaned over the
cushioned seat and closed my eyes......Isn't my headache a bit lesser?? Isn't
the breeze gushing over my face and hairs a bit more fresh?? And no......I am
no more nauseatic...Thus begins my Diwali -trip to Delhi.... :-)

Case 2

Flight was at 7:10 AM. I was done with my security check and was sitting
on the sofa in front of Gate No.1. Something in between happened which was
getting me very down. To shove off the blue mood, I thought to resort on
'Hemlock' music and thus searching for my earphone in my purse and suddenly "kotobar
tor aayna bhenge chure, ghure takai....." from behind and then a male
voice-" hello, hya ma, bolo..." I looked back and couldn't stopped
myself giving out a smile.He smiled back.
"Here is a final call for Flight No:0673 going to Delhi" I pulled
myself off from the sofa and to my awe, I realised I was smiling till
then...relentlessly. Thus I was happy and don't remember exactly why I was not few minutes
back.

Case 3

The Delhi Airport. Period.

Case 4

This time nobody is waiting outside to pick me up to home. I will be
travelling all alone in a not-so-safe-for-ladies city. But I had hundred of
butterflies in my stomach by this "all-alone-ness" both because I was
nervous and excited. Sometimes, it feels so good to be alone, no??
As I came out of Airport and was giving cynical look here and there-"
Madamji, kaha jana hai aapko?" A boy in his early 20s came in front of me.
I said-"Rohini, Sector-15"
I sat inside the car falteringly.
D- " Sector -15 mein kaha?"
Me- "Sachdeva School ke pass" (with an expression 'I am Queen of
Delhi and I know every corner of the city')
D-"School jana hain?Mujhe to school pata nehin"
Me-"Koi baat nehin, mujhe to Ghar jana hain"
He laughed.
Me-"Yeh kaunsa jagah hain bhaiya?"
D-"Airport"
Me-"Wo to thik hain, lekin koi naam to hoga is jagah ka, jaise humare
udhar, DumDum mein hain Airport"
D-"DumDum, ye kaisa naam hai?"(laughing)
Me-" Kyun, achcha nehin hain kya, has kyun rahe hain?...achcha abhi kaha
aye?"
D-"Delhi Cantonment Area"
Me-"Ye kya South Delhi hain?"
D-"Nehin, South-West"
Me-"Tab to Rohini zyaada dur nehin hain, Rohini to West mein hain maine
suna hain,aap bas south se niklo, West pahuch jayenge"
He laughed.Me too.
D-"Aap office ke kaam mein aayi hain?"
Me-"Nehin saasuural(double stress) aayi hun" (expression-Proud face)
D- "Madhuban chowk se jaun, raasta kaunsa lena hain?"
Me-"Na na Pitampura se jaana Wajirpur hoke" (no idea where these
places are these are the two names I remembered,just a show off,you know)
Me-"Areey idhar to mela laga hua hai, kaunsa jagah hain?"
D-"Hmm, Diwali Mela"
Me-"Haan haan, pata hai har saalhi to lagta hain"
(expression-I-know-all")
D-"Yeh Raja Garden hain"
Me-"Haan, Rajouri Garden bhi bolta hain, kaafi bar aa chuki hu idhar
to" (trust me I was tehre just once for one day due to some office work
and the only thing which I knew about the place was the name 'Rajouri Garden')
I finally reached Sachedeva and took a right turn and reached home.Way to home
from airport was never ever so exciting as this and the city Delhi never been
felt soo known and own before...
Me-"Bas, yehi pe rok do"
He came down and opened the door for me."Thank You, Bhaiya" I said. I
took out 20 Rs. note from my purse.."Yeh aap rakkho".. He stepped
back a little-"Nehin ji, baas...thank you"!!! He took his seat again
and drove away..............
I kept on standing at the same place till I can take the last glimpse of the
cab.
I crossed the road and walked towards home, persistent smile again on face....
Pure happiness!!!

Case 5 A lonesome morning. I was upset for some reason. I went to bathroom for
a bath and switched on the geyser lackadaisically. The red light goes off in a
minute and signaled the water is hot now. I reached out to put off the geyser
and something caught my eye.....on the switchboard. I had a jolt. Few minutes
of awstruckness!!! I found a big round maroon bindi sticked on the switched
board. How would you feel in a forlorn morning, almost 1600km away from your
home if u find "ma-er tip" remaining just the same way she had put it
there randomly almost 5yrs back when she last came to this house??? I touched
it once as if I have got her there as person.
Eyes burning, I opened the tap to its fullest as if that’s the only way to stop
me from burst-out- loud!!............
I never knew tears can also be euphoric!!!!!......

Case 6

Flight from Delhi to Kolkata got delayed by 3 hours. Tired and exhausted
I came out of Airport and the same old, known typical smell of my city
(whichgives fthe samefeeling as 'ma-er gondho'-mother's smell) and happiness
prevails all around! and then the 'dhaaker awaj' for the kalipujo
bhashan...gloom has just no place in my life anymore!!

Case 7

I took the volvo bus from Airport to Gariahat and stretched myself in a
window seat. I was bugged up with the nagging earphone which always has to get
entwined in the most complex form.After almost 5mins I finally got to switch on the radio and
voila!!!!!!!!!!..... "Tor barir pothe juktir shoinyo"!!!!!!

I started afresh from exactly where I left my city!!!!!............. :-)
The trip to Delhi comes to an end- Happy And Content!!!